Baltimore gun violence summit concludes with recommendations

The Summit on Reducing Gun Violence in America at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. concluded Tuesday with a series of wide-ranging, research-based recommendations to curb gun violence that will go to members of Congress and the Obama administration for consideration.

The Summit on Reducing Gun Violence in America at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. concluded Tuesday with a series of wide-ranging, research-based recommendations to curb gun violence that will go to members of Congress and the Obama administration for consideration.

"The purpose of putting forth these recommendations is to provide a research-based framework for reducing the staggering toll of gun violence in America," said summit organizer Daniel Webster, director of the Center for Gun Policy and Research Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health. "Importantly, most recommended policies have broad public support and would not violate constitutional rights."

The proposals come as media reports suggest President Obama will issue his own gun-control proposals on Wednesday.

The summit proposals, developed by more than 20 leading gun-policy experts, call for fixing the system of background checks by:

* Establishing a universal background check system which would require a background check for all persons purchasing a firearm (Inheritance exception).

* All sales would be facilitated through a federally-licensed gun dealer. This would have the effect of mandating the same record keeping for all firearm transfers.

* Increase the maximum amount of time for FBI to complete a background check from 3 to 10 business days.

* Require all firearm owners to report the theft or loss of their firearm within 72 hours of becoming aware of its loss.

* Persons who have a license to carry a firearm must still be subject to a background check when purchasing a firearm.

To keep high-risk people from buying guns, experts at the summit want make it more difficult through these measures:

* Persons convicted of a violent misdemeanor would be prohibited from firearm purchase for a period of 15 years.

* Persons who have committed a violent crime as a juvenile would be prohibited from firearm purchase until age 30.

* Persons convicted of 2 or more crimes involving drugs or alcohol within a 3 year period would be prohibited from firearm purchase for a period of 10 years.

* Persons convicted of a single drug trafficking offense would be prohibited from gun purchase.

* Persons whom a judge determines to be a gang member would be prohibited from gun purchase.

* Establish a minimum age of 21 years for handgun purchase or possession.

* Persons who have violated a restraining order issued due to the threat of violence (including permanent, temporary and emergency) are prohibited from purchasing firearms.